This will
sell out!
-71.2°C on record
The coldest inhabited place on Earth
Siberia. In winter. On the Road of Bones.
Oymyakon, AKA the Pole of Cold, is the coldest inhabited place on Earth. A record -71.2°C was recorded here. Am I weird for wanting to go? Probably.
This isn’t a normal group tour. It’s Russia (not great optics, I know), it’s freezing and it’s not cheap. But it’s a trip I’ve always wanted to do, and after a hugely successful trial run in 2026 I’m going back anyway. You’re welcome to join me.
We’re running it with the legends at MTP (Most Traveled People). We start in Yakutsk, drive the Road of Bones deep into Yakutia and stand where -71.2°C was once recorded.
Tour highlights
-
The Pole of Cold
Certificate at the Oymyakon monument
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The Road of Bones
The Kolyma Highway across Yakutia
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Keeper of the Cold
Meet Chyskhaan himself
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Reindeer & Yakut horses
A sled ride with the herders
Trip facts
- Dates
- Trip length
- Rooms
- Hotels in Yakutsk, shared homestay rooms on the road
- Visa
- Invitation letter and step-by-step help
- Guides
- Johnny + local guide
- Partner
- Run with MTP (Most Traveled People)
Day by day
The Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Yakutsk
· Hotel, Yakutsk
Fly into Yakutsk, capital of the Sakha Republic, where winter regularly drops below -45°C. We pick you up at the airport, get you checked in and dive straight into a gentle city tour.
Depending on flights, cold closures and how long we spend buying even warmer gear: the Treasury of Yakutia, the Museum of the Peoples of the North and the Mammoth Museum. Sleep warm. Tomorrow, it begins.
Day 2: The Road of Bones
Homestay, Khandyga
An early start onto the Kolyma Highway, AKA the Road of Bones, partly built by Gulag prisoners. Eeek. It’s 900+km of ghost towns, permafrost and silence to the Pole of Cold, so we split it over two days.
Roadside café stops, frozen landscapes and your first real taste of Siberia. Tonight is a basic homestay in Khandyga: shared rooms, shared bathrooms. Sorry, it’s the only way to manage it!
Day 3: Tomtor & the Gulags
Tomtor
Driving leg two, Khandyga to Tomtor, over mountain passes and past the memorials: the Gulag cross, the Tomporuk Pass, and photo stops at the “Black Clamp” and “Hare’s Loop”.
Then Tomtor, a town of 2,000 people who sit out -50°C winters. You’ll feel it in your soul. Dinner, bed. Tomorrow, Oymyakon.
Day 4: The Pole of Cold
Oymyakon, back to Tomtor
A day in Oymyakon, the coldest permanently inhabited place on Earth. We meet Chyskhaan, the Keeper of the Cold, get our official certificates at the monument and ring the merchant’s bell for luck.
The Eyumu River never freezes, so there’s an optional plunge for the brave (or daft). It all depends on cold closures and how much cold we can handle. Then back to Tomtor to thaw out.
Day 5: Gulags, Reindeer & Healing Springs
Homestay, Khandyga
We leave Tomtor and head west via Teply Kluch. Depending on the situation, we visit the Ice Residence of Chyskhaan and meet the Yakut horses, bred to survive -60°C (riding them costs extra).
Plenty of refuelling at roadside cafés along the way, then another night in Khandyga.
Day 6: Back to Yakutsk
Hotel, Yakutsk
The last driving leg, finishing the loop back in Yakutsk by evening.
Check into a real hotel. A proper bed, a hot shower and a well-earned toast to our frostbitten adventure. Vodka may be involved.
Day 7: You Survived
· Fly home (or on to Moscow)
You officially visited the coldest inhabited place on Earth and survived, probably a little hungover. Fly out any time today. No hotel is included tonight, but I can help you sort an extra night in Yakutsk.
This is also our buffer day for weather delays (very possible in Yakutia). Joining the Moscow extension? Fly today, or stay the night and fly on the 16th.
Your host
Johnny Ward
Irish guy, been to every country in the world, and the first person to complete the Ultimate Explorers Grand Slam: every country, the 7 summits, and the North and South Poles. I reckon that should mean the highest, lowest, hottest and coldest too, so I did those as well.
This one’s run with my friends at MTP (Most Traveled People), the most travelled people on Earth, whose community gets first dibs on trips like this. I did the trial run in 2026 and I’m going back anyway, with or without you.
It’s freezing. And it’s not cheap. But it’s f*cking epic.
Real adventure travel
Why Oymyakon?
-
The Pole of Cold
In January 1926 Oymyakon hit -71.2°C. No other permanently inhabited place has ever beaten it. Not Canada, not Alaska, not even Antarctica’s research stations.
-
The Road of Bones
Stalin’s Gulag prisoners built this 2,000km highway with shovels and picks. Thousands died and were buried in the permafrost beneath it.
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Almost nobody gets here
Reportedly fewer than 2,000 foreigners have ever visited Oymyakon, a village of around 500 people in a republic the size of India.
Before you book
Good to Know
What about the Russian visa?
Most nationalities can now get a Russian visa fairly easily, and I’ll help you every step of the way. EU, Aussie and Canadian travellers may be eligible for the cheaper, faster e-Visa. US and UK travellers apply through the embassy or visa centre, and we provide the invitation letter and step-by-step instructions.
Is Siberia safe?
Yes. Yakutia is far removed from any unrest, and it’s safe, welcoming and proud of its culture. The real danger is the cold, so we’ll help you pack the right gear.
What about the Ukraine/Russia war?
This trip is not an endorsement of the Russian government, the same way visiting China or the USA doesn’t mean I back their policies. Yakutia is a remote republic with its own people, language and culture, and this trip is about them. The world is better when we mix.
How do I get to Yakutsk?
Fly to Moscow, then on to Yakutsk, arriving in Russia at least a day before the tour starts on the morning of February 9. There’s an evening S7 flight from Moscow that lands on the 9th morning (subject to change). Flights aren’t included, but I can help.
Can I add a few days in Moscow?
Yes, and I highly recommend it. The luxury Moscow extension runs February 16–18 for $1,799: a 5* hotel on Red Square, the Kremlin, Lenin’s Mausoleum, vodka and caviar tasting and a black-tie night at the Bolshoi. If I can’t get the tickets, I’ll refund the difference.
Can anyone join?
Yes. All nationalities are welcome, Americans, Brits and Aussies included, and we help with all the logistics.
Price and what’s included
What’s included
- All accommodation
- Western group leader (me!)
- Local guide
- Transfers and transport
- All breakfasts and some meals
- Entry to museums and activities
- Your official Pole of Cold certificate in Oymyakon
- Meeting the King of the Cold himself
- A sled ride with the reindeer herders
- Airport transfers in Yakutsk
What’s not included
- International and domestic flights to Yakutsk (I can help)
- Some lunches and dinners (cheap and local)
- Travel insurance
- Russian visa (we help with this)
- Yakut horse riding
- Vodka (well, maybe I’ll provide some)
Tour price
$4,449
Per person sharing · 7 days
- $450 non-refundable deposit secures your spot
- Optional luxury Moscow extension, February 16–18: $1,799
- Pay by credit card through WeTravel
This will sell out
See you at the Pole of Cold.
Siberia, in winter, with a bunch of legends. Book online in a couple of minutes, or message me with any questions.
Rather pay by bank transfer? Email johnny@onestep4ward.com
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